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Starcraft 2 Release Date Confirmed

3:02 PM / Posted by ulrikov / comments (0)

With nearly three years since its announcement in the BlizCon 2007, Blizzard finally confirmed the release date of its most awaited sequel to the most successful Real-time Strategy Game, Starcraft II : Wings of Liberty.

Blizzard announced that Starcraft 2 will be out for sale this coming July 27, 2010 in various countries around the globe (except for China). After the long waiting time, Starcraft fans will now be able to enjoy the game that will supposedly shape the name of RTS in the upcoming years.

Beta Testing were updated up to Patch 10. Unfortunately, it was said that Starcraft 2 won't have any LAN support. This was fairly justified by Blizzard with the emergence of its hyped Battle.net servers, which will cater to the multi-player experience. With or without LAN support, fans of this great game are eager to take hold of this most anticipated game. You can pre-order Starcraft II : Wings of Liberty in two packages. The standard box will cost around $59.99 while the Collector's Edition will be at $99.99 (see my collector's edition post for details).


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Lockerz.com Scam

10:50 AM / Posted by ulrikov / comments (0)

For the past months, I've been divulging some time in a invite-only website which lets you earn points (PTZ) and in the later part could be redeemed for prices such as popular gadgets like the Ipod, Imac, PC games, DVD games, etc.. Many have claimed that lockerz is a scam. For the benefit of everybody, I will share my experience with this site.

Lockerz.com is a website which offers alot of opportunities to its members to earn points. You can earn PTZ by watching videos, logging in and by answering the daily topic (2 PTZ each). The thing that really intrigued me was acquiring the Ipod Touch which was worth around 1300 PTZ. The thing about their redemption period is that it occurs in the last days of every month. Within this only, can a member redeem his points for prizes.

Finally I was able to save around 1,300 PTZ. And I waited all night of April 30th for the April 2010 redemption period. When the redemption period began (which usually takes 20 minutes or so), I was already logged into my account and immediately went for the PTZ shop, the place where you can redeem your PTZ in Lockerz. But here comes the problem... when I got there (I could've sworn it only took me around 15 seconds to get to the Prizes List), most were already FRESHED OUT...in other words, out of stock!! Oh my god...15 seconds?!!!, and it was already out of stock (even the 14,000 PTZ Mac Computers were freshed out)!! Let's just say that their users or members are around 300,000+ and they have gadgets ready for members like 5 of each kind.

You have a very slim chance of redeeming an item (0.0001%)..This is just impossible, then I realized that this site is fraudulent in nature... and its goal is to deceive people into their site with the promise of prizes, which were non-existent in the very first place. Their goal was met however, they earn a lot of traffic into their website. But like any other website which scams, lockerz.com will one way or the other trample down...

I checked on their facebook fan page, and I saw a lot of people were complaining with the same thing. Lockerz evidently deleted all discussions and posts regarding the SCAM they created. Learn from my experience...it's a scam!!

You can get something here but you have a very very slim chance, especially if you're an International Member. So, don't waste your time in here.

Lockerz.com 
Certified : SCAM SITE

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Starcraft II : Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition

9:22 PM / Posted by ulrikov / comments (0)

With all the buzz about the most anticipated game of the year 2010. Starcraft II has hyped up the gaming industry. Blizzard recently announced the availability of its Starcraft II : Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition pack.

These includes a lot of things which a fan would surely appreciate. The Starcraft II : Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition include:

1. 2gb Thumb drive resembling Jim Raynor's Dogtag
2. 176-page art book of the game
3. Behind the scenes interviews with its makers in DVD format
4. Starcraft II Soundtrack CD
5. A Prequel comic issue of the Starcraft II series
6. A mini-thor pet for WoW (World of Warcraft) game; and a whole lot more.

You'd be surprised on what you'll find in this pack. If you're one of the biggest fans of starcraft 2, then you wouldn't miss this offer. It's currently posted at $99 over at amazon. Truly, a good find for every starcraft fan.

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Ace Online Review

10:15 PM / Posted by ulrikov / comments (0)


I was browsing www.freemmorpglist.com at one time when something draw my attention. It was a game similar to SCO (Space Cowboy Online). SCO has seized to operate since December 2007 due to legal reasons. SCO was one of my favorite mmo games before and I had a lot of fun playing the game.

For those who have no idea of the game. Let me put it this way. There are two nations battling for supremacy in a planet. You get to be a pilot in one of the nation. And you have to fight your in-born enemy, the opposing nation. The game is skilled based, unlike other mmo's where point and click is the main theme. In this game, you have to show your piloting skills in order to survive missions, and defeat the opposing force in raids.


Well, with nothing much to do, I downloaded AceOnline and played it. From first interface, a few minor changes were introduced into the game. Adding training assistance and reinforcing the storyline was a good move for AceOnline. It gave the decent gamer an idea of what he's leveling for and what he's fighting for.


Amidst the minor introductory changes, the pilot Avatars also had a make-over. They're a bit good looking compared to it's SCO predecessor. Gameplay remained the same except for some mission changes. Missions were a bit easier this time around and the luxury of having Happy Hour 'til you achieve Level 81 is enough to keep the average gamer going with his leveling frenzy.

At first, I thought it was the same old SCO-type game. But there has been a lot of changes which got me hooked on this game. AceOnline did a great job of reconstructing the whole WAR idea. Participating in wars now yield exemplary rewards. These rewards would definitely trigger activity from both sides to join in skirmishes and air battles.

Well, let's go to the scores...

Gameplay: 8
The good old formula of having rival nations fighting against each other in battles, I think is the best thing that moved this game. PvP is different compared to other mmo's. And the importance of defending your nation is definitely a good sense. There are still unbalances left in the game but ultimately it's a good game. But in order to enjoy the game, you must be around the level 40+. Within this level, you'll be experiencing the real battles...

Graphics: 8
For an mmo game, this has some decent graphics. Jet and missile trails add eye candy for the average gamer. Though not really extensive on certain details, it still is very good. Do note that mmo's are designed to have a mass audience (increasing graphic standards might hamper gaming population).

Sound: 7
AceOnline has interlinked voice chat in-game..making chatting with fellow pilots much easier especially in the heat of battle. The gamer also has an option to add his favorite music into the game via pasting it over the music folder, which quite a good idea considering all the grinding..you'll want to hear music that you definitely like. Some in-game music may be a bit repetitive, though..but not really that hard to handle.

Lifespan: 8
Having a good community and active GM's make AceOnline enjoyable for the average gamer. Random events and battles also add much into the lifespan of the game. The outstanding gameplay would mke most gamers participate in the nation battles. Warpoint rewards are definitely worth it.

Overall: 7.75
AceOnline scored quite good in the long run. There is much potential in this game. For a free mmo, this game is a keeper. I'll definitely endorse this to everyone.. For those who want to experience skill-based action...this game is for you. Although not open to all audience, this game would still pack a punch for those seeking for action.


For more information, visit:


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Runes of Magic Online Philippines - A Brief Look

6:59 PM / Posted by ulrikov / comments (0)

One of the most anticipated free-to-play MMORPGs (massive multi-player online role playing game) of 2008 was Runes of Magic. This game was officially released on the last quarter of 2008 to the global community. Some time soon, Runes of Magic will hit the Philippine shores. This game will be under the publishing of IP E-Games.


Runes of Magic revolves around the lands of Taborea. At first glance, you'd see a slight similarity with WoW (World of Warcraft) on this one. This is because the makers of this game, the Taiwan-based Runewaker Entertainment, were pretty much big fans of WoW. That kind of affected how their game looked and feel. However, Runes of Magic offers some unique features into the MMORPG genre - most especially, the Dual Class System. With this, Philippine online gamers can choose to have two classes of their preference - a primary and secondary class. There are a number of classes to choose from within Runes of Magic - Warrior, Rogue, Scout, Mage, Priest, Knight, and the two new classes, Druid and Warden. There are a large number of possibilities that this game will yield. Approximately, there are 30 combinations that gamers can come up using the main six classes. It offers a good open space for gamers to utilize for character development.


Philippine gamers will surely appreciate the unique style of Runes of Magic Online. Right now, it is under Alpha testing and pretty much soon this will be on Closed and Open Beta. The IP E-games website for Runes of Magic Philippines still features 2 videos and a registration button. According to IP E-Games, they will be releasing announcements for online Philippine CBT and OBT sometime this month. Hopefully, our Philippine gamers can enjoy this astounding game by the holidays.

*In-game screenshots from the global server.

See the Runes of Magic Philippines official website HERE.

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PC Guide : Power On but No Boot

12:02 AM / Posted by ulrikov / comments (0)

You're in the mood to surf the net and maybe gain some knowledge or just idle on your favorite social cyber network (facebook, friendster, etc) but unfortunately when you turn on the computer, the power comes on but apparently there's no boot. Have you experienced this in your modern computer life? This could be a real pain especially if you're really excited to be online.

A friend of mine had this problem with her desktop and I have to troubleshoot it. If you know someone who has knowledge with computers, it might be a good idea to ask for his help. If you don't, then bring it to the nearest computer repair shop.

Here are the signs and symptoms I noted for the problem:

1. Power Led ON.
2. HDD (Hard Disk Drive) Led ON.
3. HSF (Heat Sink Fan) works perfectly fine
4. All wires intact.
5. PSU (Power Supply Unit) turns on.
6. No Display on Monitor.

Now, here's what I did to solve the problem. I'll guide you through all the work that needs to be done.

1. Check all the wires and connections. See if every single wire is connected and if it is still working. If you see a non-working wire, replace it and see if the system boots.
2. Replace your PSU with another one that is in working condition. If it still doesn't boot, then your previous PSU is working properly.
3. Check every single component from the CPU, HDD, Memory, Video Card, Optical Drive, etc. Here's a tip, try to disconnect your HDD and Optical Drive then try to boot. If it still doesn't boot, then you can eliminate those as the non-working parts.
4. After seeing that, take out all your components from the computer casing and place it in a safe area (observe grounding rules).
5. Backlash your unit. Test if the motherboard, processor, memory, and PSU (with connected monitor in VGA port) can boot in the safe area. If it boots without any problem, then the problem lies in your casing. Your casing maybe short-circuited. If doesn't work, then one of your components is defective, test those components on a separate setup.

If the cause of your problem is not within the components, it must have something to do with your computer casing and mounting. This can only mean one thing --- The system is short-circuited.

Now, try to check if all your motherboard standoffs and screws are properly mounted. Here's a tip -- To prevent short circuiting, I usually cover my standoffs with masking tapes after putting them into the case. After doing so, remount all your hardware back to the case. See to it that everything is properly placed. Once done with that, your system unit should boot just fine. And if it doesn't, you remounted it all wrong.

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PCX Pricelists (8-28-2009)

2:23 PM / Posted by ulrikov / comments (1)

For most computer enthusiasts in the Philippines, one of the good places they'd like to set as standard pricing for components would be the PC Express pricelist (PCX). One of the advantages of PC Express is that their price lists are updated and these are in two forms - dealer's price and the suggested retail price. Dealer's price is also the one awarded to those who purchase via cash. On top of that, the PCX price is uniformed nationwide which makes it very convenient for out-of-Manila buyers.

However, recently the PC express website has been experiencing problems. It is temporarily down and because of such, the valuable price lists cannot be viewed by the PC enthusiasts. To solve this problem, there is a simple way to get about. For Cebu-based buyers, you can try and email the PCX Jones and NRA branches for the updated pricelists. Their emails are listed below:

pcxcebu_jones@yahoo.com
pcxcebu_nra@yahoo.com

I've also posted the August 28, 2009 PCX price lists here for everyone's convenience.

Aug 28, 2009 - SRP Pricelist
Aug 28, 2009 - Dealer's Price

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Apec Mouse Review

9:14 PM / Posted by ulrikov / comments (0)

With the growing popularity of generic computer accessories today, a review on such products would really come in handy for consumers. Generic computer product reviews are very difficult to find and so I've decided to make one.

A few months back, I've been looking for a cheap optical mouse to temporarily serve me while I find a proper replacement for my broken A4tech mouse. And so, I went over to a local computer shop and found this black generic mouse - the Apec Optical Mouse. Without any delay, I purchased the mouse and immediately used it.

The look was quite ordinary for this Apec mouse. It has a black and sleek exterior with a medium-size middle click button. The control was not really as smooth as compared to a high-end mouse (like what graphic artists use) but still it's optical and manageable.. There might be a slight difference when you're using a branded product but it's really negligible on this one. Basically I just laid it on a smooth mouse pad and it's all ready to go.



Apec Optical Mouse -- generic yet does the job

After months of using this product, I say it would be most appropriate to comment on its performance after hundreds of gaming hours. I wasn't really expecting too much from this product; however this mouse has stood the bashing times that me and my brother share when we're gaming. On the side note, the middle click button is quite sturdy. As compared to Cd-r king mice, it wasn't broken (I've had alot of cd-r king mice which end up breaking the middle click button).

As a summary, the Apec Optical Mouse may just be a generic mouse but its lifespan is really impressive. Sturdy and reliable, I think this changed my view on generic computer accessories but like I said before, it can't compete with the branded high-end products but it does what it's supposed to do --- and that's good enough for me.

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